From their unparalleled color intensity to record-breaking sales, discover some of the world’s most extraordinary and expensive diamonds ever auctioned.
They say diamonds are a girl’s best friend. It makes sense! Just like your best friend, diamonds amaze you when you look at them, you find them beautiful, and you always want to be with them.
And just like with best friends, the more diamonds you have, the better—or maybe you only need one favorite.
Whether you have many or just one, imagine the most expensive diamonds ever sold. Think about the stunning raw diamonds found in hidden places or the exquisite stones that once adorned royalty and now go up for auction at esteemed houses like Sotheby’s. The prices of these diamonds are based on several factors.
Ready? Here are some of the most expensive diamonds ever sold.
The Pink Star
The Pink Star diamond, weighing 59.6 carats, is one of the rarest gems on Earth. It set a record at Sotheby’s Hong Kong auction in 2017, becoming the most expensive diamond ever sold at auction.
As reported by Only Natural Diamond, this gem started as a rough stone from De Beers in 1999 and went through a precise 20-month cutting process.
It made its debut in London in 2003 and later attracted over 70,000 daily visitors at the Natural History Museum in 2005.
So, what was the final selling price for this magnificent diamond? $71.2 million.
The Oppenheimer Blue
The Oppenheimer Blue diamond made headlines in 2016 when it became the most expensive blue diamond ever auctioned, as noted by the New York Daily News.
This 14.62-carat fancy vivid blue diamond is the largest of its kind to be auctioned. It sparked an intense 25-minute bidding war over the phone before it sold for an astonishing $57.6 million.
The Pink Legacy
The Pink Legacy, known for its exceptional color intensity, created a sensation at its 2018 auction, a century after being unearthed in South Africa.
CNN reports that Harry Winston purchased this 18.96-carat gem for a remarkable $50 million at Christie’s Geneva.
The Orange
The Orange diamond, a rare gem with the Fancy Vivid designation from the Gemological Institute of America, set a world record at auction.
Forbes highlights that the largest fancy vivid orange diamond ever auctioned is this pear-shaped beauty.
It fetched an astonishing $35.5 million at Christie’s Geneva in 2013, making it one of the priciest diamonds of its kind.
The Williamson Pink Star
The Williamson Pink Star captured attention at Sotheby’s Hong Kong auction in 2022.
The Economic Times reports that this fancy vivid pink diamond is initially valued at $21 million. It’s sold for an astounding $49.9 million.
This equates to a record-breaking $4,475,336 per carat, making it one of the most expensive diamonds ever sold.
Banner photo via Sotheby’s official website.
